


What's that in your hand?

by Laramie



Series: Things you said [17]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-28
Updated: 2015-10-28
Packaged: 2018-04-25 06:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4950658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laramie/pseuds/Laramie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The title phrase was prompted by Abby.</p>
    </blockquote>





	What's that in your hand?

**Author's Note:**

> The title phrase was prompted by Abby.

**September 1932**

Feeling restless one Saturday afternoon, Jimmy went for a walk around York. Thomas had not felt like coming along, so he remained in their little flat above their clock shop while Jimmy strode through the streets.

Walks in York were a very different experience to walks around Downton; Jimmy enjoyed being surrounded by people and bustle as they all went on their separate ways, some hurrying while others ambled along looking through shop windows and carrying their purchases or their screaming children. Jimmy, too, glanced into the shops he passed, eventually coming across a blacksmith's. He and Thomas had been meaning to get a new number for the front door for months, so Jimmy stopped in to take a look at what they had to offer.

The shop itself was small, and dominated by the sound of a hammer hitting metal behind the back wall. While Jimmy was at one wall looking at the at the wrought-iron house numbers in various styles, he had no trouble overhearing a woman ordering a pair of names to give to her daughter as a wedding present.

Jimmy couldn't help thinking of Thomas. Lately, Jimmy's thoughts always drifted to Thomas when he saw an old married couple or a pair of newlyweds… or a jewellery shop. He hadn't said anything to Thomas, because it made him feel silly, but Jimmy was dying for a ring, for something to show Thomas that Jimmy thought of him when they were apart. But they still had a mortgage to pay off - a fairly small one thanks to the money from Thomas's sister after their father's death, but a mortgage nonetheless. They were trying to pay it off as quickly as possible, so that meant no fancy extras like rings.

"I don't want them to be exactly the same," the woman at the counter was saying. "But obviously a set."

Staring at a wrought iron number "2", Jimmy had an idea.

* * *

Jimmy sauntered home with his hands in his pockets and his fingers curled around his purchases. He was elevated by his own cleverness and eager to see how Thomas would react. He only hoped that Thomas would be pleased. In fact, the closer he got to the flat, the more he worried that Thomas _wouldn't_ be pleased. Maybe he would still think Jimmy had spent too much, or simply not like the idea at all. Maybe it was too dangerous.

By the time Jimmy let himself into the house and climbed the narrow stairs, he had more or less talked himself out of the entire idea. He looked at the objects in his palm as he reached the dark landing, wondering where he could hide them so that Thomas would not see.

"Hello," came Thomas's voice, startling Jimmy. He looked up to see Thomas leaning in the kitchen doorway, holding a teaspoon. "I saw you coming -" he lifted the spoon - "So I'm making tea."

Jimmy smiled, delighted by the simple fact of Thomas's existence.

"What's that in your hand?" Thomas asked as the kettle worked up to a whistle.

It was only then that Jimmy realised he had his hand cupped against his sternum. He looked down, peeking underneath his thumb.

"You don't have to tell me," Thomas added easily, after a moment. "If it's private." He pushed off the doorframe and went into the kitchen; a moment later, the whistling subsided.

Jimmy wandered after him to watch, as he had so many times before, as Thomas made tea. It was a process he had down to a fine art by now, and it was a pleasure to watch him, sure and steady, as he always was. "It's not private," Jimmy said to the back of Thomas's head.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I… had an idea." Jimmy swallowed, briefly considering asking Thomas to turn around before deciding that it would be easier to speak to his back. He had not been this nervous about anything to do with Thomas for a long time. "I bought us something from the blacksmith."

Thomas finished pouring milk into the bottom of the cups. "Oh, have you got a number for the door?" he asked, turning.

"Erm, no," Jimmy replied, realising that he probably should have done that at the same time.

"What then? What on earth do we need from a blacksmith?"

"Don't be annoyed about me spending money," Jimmy begged.

"I won't, if you tell me what you're bloody talkin' about."

Jimmy took a deep breath and decided to come right out with it. "Well, as much as is possible for us, I want us to be… husbands, I suppose." Heart hammering, he paused to take in Thomas's reaction; his boyfriend was smiling shyly. He looked thrilled. "I bought us some rings, just tell me if you think it's a terrible idea, I…"

Thomas stepped closer. "Let's see."

Jimmy opened his hand to reveal the two rings resting on his palm. Gently, Thomas took them from him and held them up to the diffuse light coming through the window.

"I thought, with the mortgage and everything, steel's cheaper than a gold ring or something, but they look kind of like silver." He searched Thomas's face to see what he thought, but his expression was unreadable.

"They don't match," Thomas said quietly. Indeed, one of them was a rounded band, while the other was narrower and squared off.

"They're not the same, so people don't realise what they mean, but we'll know. What do you think -" he took the rings back - "Is it a bad idea?"

Thomas's eyes seemed to twinkle. "Are you asking me to marry you?"

Jimmy grinned, his nerves giving way to delight as he read Thomas's answer before he had even asked the question. "Yeah, if you like."

"I do like," Thomas said. "Which one's mine?"

Jimmy held out the broader, rounded band. Thomas offered his left hand, almost jokingly, so Jimmy slipped the ring onto his finger before letting Thomas slide the other one onto his own ring finger. They took a moment to admire the rings on their own and each other's hands, silvery steel against tanned or pale skin. When Jimmy raised his eyes, Thomas was already smiling at him widely. Thomas pulled him into a tight hug. "I love you, you marvellous man," he murmured.

"Love you too," Jimmy returned, pressing his body against Thomas's and rubbing his cheek against Thomas's ear.

"There's just one thing. The tea's getting cold."

"Don't care," Jimmy said, and only held Thomas closer.

**Author's Note:**

> Just because I find it amusing, here are my initial notes for this prompt:  
> • Sep 1932.  
> • It's a ring. This is a proposal fic. Who's proposing? Nobody knows.  
> • Actually it's probably Jimmy.  
> Yup, that's pretty much the extent of the on-paper planning I did for this one.


End file.
